Two-roll paper dispenser



April 2, 1963 c. ROEMER 3,084,006

TWO-ROLL PAPER DISPENSER Filed June 13, 1960 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. IRV/fl/G 0. ROE/WE BY ATTORNEYS April 2, 1963 1. c. ROEMER TWO-ROLL PAPER DISPENSER 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 15, 1960 47' ORA/E) April 2, 1963 Filed June 13, 1960 l. C. ROEMER TWO-ROLL PAPER DISPENSER 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR.

ATTORNEYS 3,084,006 TWO EOLL APER DHSPENSER Irving C. Roemer, Lafayette, QalifZ, assignor to Crown Zeiierbach Qorporation, San Francisco, Calif a corporation of Nevada Filed .l'une 13, 1960, Ser. No. 55,619 4 Claims. (Cl. 3112-39) This invention relates to dispensers for paper which is merchandised in roll form such as toilet tissue or paper toweling, and more particularly to a dispenser in which one roll is held in a reserve position until the supply of paper from a roll in a dispensing position is depleted.

It is desirable, particularly in public places, where paper is dispensed, to provide a reserve supply which is available for use when the usual supply is depleted. This is especially true when the paper is provided in roll form because it is not practical to add a portion of a roll to a supply cabinet or dispenser. Consequently, when an attendant makes periodic calls to inspect the dispenser a partial roll is frequently removed and discarded to insure an adequate supply until the next call is made. This is a wasteful and costly practice which has been considered necessary to prevent more frequent calls by an attendant and to insure an ever ready supply of paper for those who use it.

it is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a dispenser which holds two rolls of paper or the like with one roll in position for use and with the second roll in an inaccessible position and to provide very simple mechanism for effecting automatic transfer of the second roll into the position for use upon depletion of the supply on the first roll.

Other and more specific objects and advantages of the invention are made apparent in the following specification wherein reference is made to the accompanying drawings for a detailed description thereof.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a vertical sectional view taken on the line l-I of FIG. 3 of a paper dispenser embodying the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view of the same dispenser taken on the line 11-11 of FIG. 3;

FiG. 3 is a horizontal sectional view taken on the line ill-Ill of FIG. 1 with the rolls of paper removed;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the main frame of the dispenser;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a pivoted support frame which retains an auxiliary roll of paper in a reserve position;

FIG. 6 is a perspective View of a control plate;

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the exterior of the dispenser; and

FIG. 8 is a vertical sectional view of a modified form of the dispenser shown in the other views.

For the purpose of illustration I have shown a dispenser for toilet tissue, but its adaptation to paper toweling or any other commodity in the form of a web which is dispensed from a roll will be readily apparent from an understanding of the following description. In FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 of the drawings, a dispenser is shown which contains a roll of paper A with a projecting end which may be withdrawn therefrom, and a second or auxiliary roll B which, as shown in FIG. 1, is supported in an inaccessible position and, upon depletion of paper on the roll A, will automatically move downwardly to the position shown in FIG. 2 where it becomes available for use. The roll A is supported on a pair of spaced rollers 10 which, as illustrated in FIG. 4, are simply and inexpensively journaled for rotation between side walls 12 of a U-shaped main frame. The walls are connected by a back portion Patented Apr. 2, 1963 14 adapted to be secured against a vertical surface as by screws 16 shown in FIG. 3. The rollers 10 are of conventional form and have trunnions 18 at their ends fitting bearing holes punched in the walls 12. As is common practice, the paper is wound on a pasteboard core 20 and the supporting rollers 10 for the roll of paper in position to be dispensed are spaced apart a distance corresponding to the diameter of the paper core 20 so that upon depletion of the supply of paper on the roll A the core 20 can fall downwardly between the rollers 10.

The auxiliary roll B is supported in its inaccessible position by a support frame 22 shown in FIG. 5 which includes two arms '24 adapted to be pivoted to the walls 12 of the main frame as by pins 26 shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3. Bushings 27 shown in FIG. 3 surround the pins as and space the arms 24 outwardly from the sides 12 of the main frame. The opposite ends of these arms extend toward the rear of the main frame and are provided with rollers 28 which project inwardly. A control plate 3t) shown in detail in FIG. 6 is carried between arms 32 which extend rearwardly of the main frame and are pivoted as by pins 34 thereto. The arms 32 are provided with arcuate flanges 36 which underlie the rollers 28 on the support frame and hold the support frame in its upper or horizontal position as shown in FIG. 1. The control plate 36 rests upon the top of the paper roll A and is retained in its upper or horizontal position thereby and gradually moves downwardly as the roll A diminishes in size, passing for example through the broken line posi tion shown in FIG. 2 when the roll is nearly depleted, and finally to the position shown in full lines in FIG. 2 to which it swings when the roll is depleted and onl the core 24) remains with possibly a very few layers of paper remaining on it.

When the control plate 39 swings to its vertical position, the arcuate flanges 36 have moved from beneath the rollers 23 on the arms 24 of the support frame and the support frame has been permitted to fall about its supporting pivot pins 26 to the vertical position also shown in FIG. 2 with the result that the roll B has dropped into the position originally occupied by the roll A where it is accessible for use. It is apparent that a support frame with only one arm 24 and a control plate with a single arm 32 and flange 36 would accomplish the function described. However, the structure shown is preferred because it resists twisting forces even though its components are made of very light and inexpensive material.

One of the several advantages of the construction shown is that the arms 24 and 32 on the support frame and control plate are disposed outside of the walls 12 of the main frame where there is no possibility of interference with the rolls of paper contained within the dispenser. The walls 12 of the frame are cut out as indicated at 40 to provide an opening of a shape which accommodates the downward swinging movement of both the support frame and the control plate. The entire dispensing mechanism so far described is contained within a housing or cover member 42 with hinges 43 connecting it with a forwardly extending portion 44 of the main frame. Any suitable key actuated lock such as shown at 46 may be employed for holding the cover in its closed position. The forward lower side of the cover is provided with a central opening 48 and this opening is continued through the bottom portion of the cover to extend beneath the space between the rollers 10 to permit ejection of the core 2!} from which the paper has been removed. It is necessary that this opening be at least as wide as the roll at the bottom of the cover to permit ejection of the core. It is preferable that it be narrower than the cover in front of the roll as shown in FIG. 7 to prevent unauthorized removal of the roll.

"walls 12 of the main the free swinging movement of the arms on the support frame and control plate.

3 i1" he cover -42 is.also preferably provided adjacent its upper end, and in a position which does not interfere with the support frame, with flanges 50 shown in FIG. 3 spaced inwardly from its side walls and engaging the frameto insure proper spacing for Another advantage of the construction heretofore describedis that the auxiliary roll of paper is held in an elevated position throughout the entire time that the first roll is being dispensed, and ,no portion of its weight .is borne by the first roll which is subjected only to the weight of the control plate 30 and does not materially interfere with free rotation of the roll as paper is withdrawntherefrom. In factthe engagement of the rollers 28 with the arcuateflange 36,provides a slight frictional resistance to the downward swinging movement of the control plate and thus even further reduces the retarding pressure thereof against the roll of paper. It is possible also with the construction illustrated to even further reducethispressure by providing non-rotatable pins in place of the rollers 28 of some material with a'high coefficient of friction so that they act as brakes against the surfaces of thearcuate flanges 36.

Since the auxiliary'roll is held in its elevated position until depletion of the main roll, it falls into its useable position abruptly and with sufiicient force to eject the core Ztlfrom between the rollers 10 in the event that the core had become oval inshape or slightly distorted so that it would not fall from between the rollers 10 by gravity afforded by its own weight.

Charging the dispenser with paper is a very simple matter since, if the attendant finds that the auxiliary roll has dropped into .place for use, it is simply necessary for him upon opening the cover to remove the auxiliary roll, raise the support frame and then the control plate and replace the auxiliary roll or whatever portion thereof remains. This serves to hold the support frame in its elevated position and a new roll is placed upon it before closing the cover.

A modified form of the invention shown in FIG. 8 has the advantage of being simpler and less costly than the form =hereinbefore described. Here a simple cabinet 60 is provided with a cover 62 hinged as at 63 and locked in its closed positionas at 64. A singlecombination support frame and control plate shown at 66 as pivotally supported by pins one of which is shown at 68. A main roll A is supported on spaced roller-s shown at 10a which permit escape of the core when the paper is removed therefrom and downward movement of the core permits the combination support and control plate to gravitate to a vertical position. .Meanwhile, the auxiliary roll B has gradually moved downwardly and automatically come into useable position upon depletion of the first roll.

Inthe lastrdescribed form of the invention, the pressure of the control plate on the lower roll A is greater due to the full 'weight of the auxiliary roll being disposed on the control plate. Anti-friction means between the control plate and the lower roll are therefore desirable to facilitate rotation of the roll as paper is withdrawn therefrom. Such means may be in the form of rollers 70 rotatably carried by the control plate and engageable with the roll A. In some cases a smooth or highly polished surface may suffice.

I claim:

1. A two-roll paper dispenser comprising means to support one roll in a dispensing position, a pivoted frame adapted to support an auxiliary roll above the first roll, a pivoted follower plateengaging the upper surface of the first roll and free to swing downwardly as the size of the roll decreases, and means on the follower plate supporting said frame until the first roll is depleted and then releasing said frame for downward pivotal movement to place the auxiliary roll in position to be dispensed.

2. A two-roll paper dispenser comprising means to support one roll in a dispensing position, a pivoted frame adapted to support an auxiliary roll above the first roll, a pivoted follower plate engaging the upper surface of the first roll and free to swing downwardly as the size of the roll decreases, and means on the follower plate supporting said frame until the first roll is depleted and then releasing said frame fordownward pivotal movement to place the auxiliary roll in position to be dispensed, said means on the follower plate being in the form of an arcuate member disposed beneath a part on the auxiliary roll support frame.

3. A two-roll paper dispenser comprising means to support one roll in a dispensing position, a pivoted frame adapted to support an auxiliary roll above the first roll, a pivoted follower plate engaging the upper surface of the first roll and free to swing downwardly as the size of the roll decreases, and means on the follower plate supporting said frame until the first roll is depleted and then releasing said frame for downwardly pivotal movement to place the auxiliary roll in position to be dispensed, said means on the follower plate being in the form of an arcuate member disposed beneath a part on the auxiliary roll support frame, and a pair of rollers supporting one of said rolls in a dispensing position and spaced apart a distance approximately the diameter of a core upon which the roll is Wound to permit discharge of the core when the roll is depleted.

4. A two-roll paper dispenser comprising a main frame having spaced side walls, means to support one roll in a dispensing position between said side walls, a pivoted support frame adapted to support an auxiliary roll above the first roll, a pivoted follower plate engaging the upper surface of the first roll and free to swing downwardly as the size of the roll decreases, and means on the follower plate supporting said frame until the first roll is depleted and then releasing said frame for downward pivotal movement to place the auxiliary roll in a position to be dispensed, said support frame and follower plate both comprising spaced arms pivoted to the outer sides of the main frame side walls and connected by members extending through openings in said side walls.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

4. A TWO-ROLL PAPER DISPENSER COMPRISING A MAIN FRAME HAVING SPACED SIDE WALLS, MEANS TO SUPPORT ONE ROLL IN A DISPENSING POSITION BETWEEN SAID SIDE WALLS, A PIVOTED SUPPORT FRAME ADAPTED TO SUPPORT AN AUXILIARY ROLL ABOVE THE FIRST ROLL, A PIVOTED FOLLOWER PLATE ENGAGING THE UPPER SURFACE OF THE FIRST ROLL AND FREE TO SWING DOWNWARDLY AS THE SIZE OF THE ROLL DECREASES, AND MEANS ON THE FOLLOWER PLATE SUPPORTING SAID FRAME UNTIL THE FIRST ROLL IS DEPLETED AND THEN RELEASING SAID FRAME FOR DOWNWARD PIVOTAL MOVEMENT TO PLACE THE AUXILIARY ROLL IN A POSITION TO BE DISPENSED, SAID SUPPORT FRAME AND FOLLOWER PLATE BOTH COMPRISING SPACED ARMS PIVOTED TO THE OUTER SIDES OF THE MAIN FRAME SIDE WALLS AND CONNECTED BY MEMBERS EXTENDING THROUGH OPENINGS IN SAID SIDE WALLS. 